St. John of Nepomuk

St. John of Nepomuk

St. John of Nepomuk, born around 1350 in Pomuk near Pilsen (Czech Republic), was educated by the Cistercian monks. He became a public notary in the episcopal chancery of Prague in 1369 and was ordained a priest in 1380.

After studying at the universities of Prague and Padua, he earned his doctorate in theology and canon law in 1387. In 1389, Archbishop John of Jenzenstein appointed him vicar general due to his reputation as a gifted preacher and impartial leader.

He refused episcopal positions out of humility and was highly respected for his incorruptibility. He became a victim of the conflict between the Church and King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia, who was angered when John refused to break the seal of confession concerning the Queen.

On March 20, 1393, after brutal torture, John was thrown from the Charles Bridge into the Vltava River and drowned. He became a symbol of the sacredness of the confessional and was beatified in 1721 and canonized in 1729.

His remains are preserved in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, and a red marble plaque on Charles Bridge marks the site of his martyrdom.

Iconography:
In canon dress, confessing the Queen, with a finger to his lips, six stars around his head, with a cross, palm, bridge, river, or other saints.

Feast day:
March 20
May 16 (in German-speaking areas)

Patron saint of:
Bohemia, the Habsburgs, Jesuit Order (secondary), priests and confessors, boatmen, millers, bridges, seal of confession, discretion, defense of reputation, protection of property, against slander and floods